Laptops For Less Blog

Refrigerators a Breeding Ground for Bacteria and Mold?

A refrigerator can be a breeding ground for bacteria and mold. Most refrigerators should be set to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature inhibits some bacteria types, but there are also plenty of bacteria types that thrive in lower temperatures. Under the right kind of circumstances including: temperature, air, moisture, and nutrients bacteria can grow super quick in your fridge. Once mold and bacteria begins to grow in one food, it can migrate to other foods.

Is your fridge a breeding ground? Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I clean the refrigerator every one to two weeks?
• Do I make sure there is no food or drips on the containers I place in the refrigerator?
• Do I open the fridge a lot?
• How often do I clean out older leftovers from the refrigerator?
• Am I placing uncovered food in the refrigerator?

So, you may be wondering how to prevent unsanitary conditions in your refrigerator. Mold and bacteria like temperatures that are not too hot or too cold. When you allow food to sit out over extended periods of time, bacteria does grow. When you put food in the refrigerator after significant contamination it won’t do much to prevent food poisoning. It gets worse: when you leave food out in warm environments, you may even get insects or eggs in your food. Yuck!

There are pros and cons of placing hot food in the refrigerator. Hot food in the fridge makes the machine’s condenser work harder to cool the space. A better way to keep your food safe is to cool hot foods like soup pots in an ice bath or cold water before storing it in the fridge.

Make sure to clean your refrigerator frequently. This means once every two weeks. Use a mild bleach or disinfectant.

Keep on top of your refrigerator’s temperature. When the door gets opened too much the temperature drops and puts your food at risk.

Keep raw meats in the fridge no longer than 1-2 days. Make sure to keep these meats in plastic bags because they may already have contamination due to bad packaging or processing.

You should throw out any leftovers after four days maximum. Always remember that food still decays in your refrigerator. It’s just decaying at a slower rate. This goes for the freezer too. It may not kill you, but it won’t taste very good either.

If you use ice cube trays make sure to empty and refill them every few days because the ice absorbs food odors.

Some people wonder if they should cover their foods when they put it in the fridge. The answer is yes. All food should be covered because they can cross-contaminate, absorb odors, and drip condensation. Remember, air and moisture allows bacteria growth.

Keep your food in air-tight containers. Using plastic wrap and aluminum foil is okay for short-term storage, just know they can add to condensation.

If you’re looking for a replacement refrigerator part or a spare refrigerator part you should buy them from a reputable online merchant like LaptopsForLess.com. We have a huge selection of refrigerator parts in stock, at very reasonable prices [often a fraction of the cost at a bricks and mortar store]. Brands stocked include: Bosch, Fisher Paykel, Frigidaire, General Electric, Icon, LG, Maytag, Panasonic, Roper, Samsung, Sanyo, Whirlpool and more…